


Wallpaper of Broadway

by Surreal



Category: Tin Man (2007)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, Imported, M/M, Memory Loss, Originally Posted on LiveJournal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-08
Updated: 2013-09-08
Packaged: 2017-12-26 01:54:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/960203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Surreal/pseuds/Surreal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Cain, DG, and Raw had first encountered Glitch working as a bartender in the Mystic Man's club?  This story is an AU that parallels the series using this scenario.</p>
<p>Originally posted to Livejournal in January, 2009. Beta'd by Kseda.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chains

Prologue: Chains

_9 Annuals Past_

Everyone knew him as he made his rounds, though not many would realize he had not been there all along. He was a new face, only arriving in the last five annuals but making himself well known so quickly that no one would question his tenure.

Another dank, sordid excuse of a nightclub came into sight and he rubbed his palms on his thighs. Always prepared for what he would see but never quite able to get used to the deeper reactions of pity and disgust.

Within moments of entering he had a drink in hand, compliments of the owner of course, and he surveyed the crowd. He covered his wince by taking another drink, hating the dull, drugged outline of the men and women gathered here. Just another in a sickening variety of holes in the wall he had found in the Realm of the Unwanted.

On the stage, a handful of clearly stoned performers swung from poles, their few strips of clothing leaving nothing to the imagination.

The blue and green stage lights that burned their skin caught something else, something that drew not only the attention of the audience but of the man drinking alone at the bar. He frowned, setting his drink down and stepping closer to the stage.

There were shining, sparkling bits of glass – beads, flat medallions, a hodgepodge of glittery things haphazardly clipped and strung onto a few strands of delicate chain and those chains, each a few good hands in length, were hooked onto the back of the dancer’s head, almost lost amid the long curls.

Ahamo’s eyes widened as he watched the dancer spin around gracefully, head back to let the chains catch the light. It wasn’t the chains or the bangles that caught his attention but what they were attached to – the pull of a zipper, embedded down the center of the man’s head.

When the dancer’s face came into view, Ahamo blinked with recognition. His heart raced in his chest. _Ambrose_ , he thought, mind whirling. _What’s happened to you?_

Patting his pocket to make sure he had what he needed, Ahamo pushed past the mindless, frozen throng until he reached the club owner’s table. Careful to keep his face neutral and his voice dull and uninterested, Ahamo waved his hand vaguely toward the stage. “How much for that one? The one with the beads.”

Lykaios gave him a wolfish grin. “So the mysterious Ahamo finally shows some taste. That one will cost you, my friend. He is very popular among my best clients.”

Ahamo snorted derisively, not willing to risk showing his hand. “He’s a headcase, Lyka. But a pretty one, I’ll admit. Two hundred for him.”

The owner barked out a laugh, joined by the others sitting at his table. “You might have taste but you show little respect for my property. Eight hundred for the night.”

“Four and he leaves with me. I’ll not take something so _valuable_ to one of your disease-ridden rooms,” Ahamo crossed his arms and held Lykaios’s gaze firmly.

“I’ve had better offers than that for him tonight, friend,” Lykaios snarled, losing patience.

Ahamo shook his head. “If that were true, why is he still dancing?”

“Seven and he stays here.”

“Four and a half. He comes with me.”

Lykaios pounded a fist on the table. “You try my patience.”

“And if you want this hellhole to still be standing when the suns rise, you know better than to deny me what I ask,” Ahamo brushed his hand casually over the front of his jacket, dusting off imaginary specks. “Remember the Blue Flower nightclub?”

“No,” Lykaios sat back in his chair, thrown by the shift in topic.

“No one does,” Ahamo curled up one side of his mouth in a predatory grin, enough to show teeth. “Five hundred plats, the dancer comes with me and you don’t go looking for him again. Do we have an understanding?”

Outbid and losing interest, Lykaios swept his hand in the air, as if dismissing the value of his “best” employee. “Take him,” he said, bored with the whole thing already.

Ahamo pulled the bills from his pocket and tossed them onto the table. “Have one of your people show me to his room.”

~~

The closet Ahamo was led to held nothing more than a small, unkempt bed and a crate for a nightstand. On it rested a small electric lamp, the bare bulb emitting a weak yellow light.

Unwilling to sit on the bed, Ahamo waited until the door was pushed open again and the dancer from the stage entered. Dark, warm eyes, painfully familiar yet showing no recognition, fixed on him. “Well, well – what have we here? A very handsome man indeed,” he purred.

Ahamo ducked past the man and shut the door, then turned back. “Look, I’m getting you out of here. Now. Pack up any personal items, put on some clothes and forget this place ever happened.”

There was a throaty chuckle in reply. “What are you talking about? This is where I live and work, in case you hadn’t noticed. Where do you intend to take me?” He moved closer as he talked, dragging his fingers down Ahamo’s chest.

Taking a step back but capturing the wayward hand, Ahamo met the other man’s eye. “Listen. I know you don’t remember me, or probably anything from a few annuals ago. But I know you. You’re someone very important to me, to my family and to the kingdom. I’m taking you away from here and putting you where I know you’ll be safe. Where I can find you when the time comes. Now, _move_.”

The dancer took a step back, almost running into his bed in the tiny room. He shook his head, confused. “If you know me so well, what’s my name?”

Ahamo opened his mouth then closed it again. “That’s something you’ll have to remember on your own. Until then, we’ll just call you – Glitch.”

“That’s a terrible name,” the man grumbled. “Where’d that come from, just grab it out of thin air?”

“Finding you here tonight was a complete glitch, one I’ll always be grateful for,” Ahamo said quietly.

Glitch shrugged. “As good a name as any, I suppose,” he said, shrugging out of his silky, transparent stage shirt. His hair hung down past his shoulders, deep brown curls that tangled and swayed. The back of his shoulders and neck were covered in swirling, disorganized tattoos that matched the way his hair lay on the skin, giving the illusion of even thicker, longer hair. He pulled on a different shirt, a simple white tank top that showed off his tattoos. “Where are we going?”

Ahamo raised his head. “Central City. You know anything about mixing drinks?”

~~


	2. Mystic Man's Twister Club

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Cain, DG, and Raw had first encountered Glitch working as a bartender in the Mystic Man's club? This story is an AU that parallels the series using this scenario.

  
Chapter 1: Mystic Man's Twister Club

 

From behind the darkness and safety of the tall bar, Glitch watched with curiosity as the pair stood just inside the door. He could already tell the girl had never set foot in a place like this, but the other one with her was too hidden in his thick cloak to see his reaction to the often overwhelming decor and dense smoke from the vapor hookahs scattered around the tables.

Tossing a flask of orange juice from hand to hand, he studied the couple for another moment before turning back to his job. With a practiced flair of his wrist, he added a shot of vodka, a short burst from the soda fountain hose and just a touch of grenadine. With a graceful twist, he rolled the whole thing over his arm without spilling a drop and poured it over ice in a waiting glass.

Sliding it down the bar, Glitch caught the plat coin that was tossed back in return. He jammed it into the money box next to his hip and picked up his towel, wiping down the counter though he had just done it five minutes ago. Not that he remembered.

~~

Before Wyatt Cain could follow Raw and DG out the window, his arm was grabbed in a fierce, strong hand. “I’m sending someone with you. He already got the message.”

Cain frowned, glancing over his shoulder to where his charge had already disappeared. “Who?” It was all he needed to ask. There was no need to ask if this stranger could be trusted; there was no one Cain trusted more than the Mystic Man. No need to ask _how_ the message had been sent – there were some things Cain had long since given up on figuring out about his former employer.

But the unexpected, crooked grin threw Cain off just a bit. “My bartender.” With a quick shove, Mystic Man was turning toward the door and Cain had no choice but to go after the two he had collected so far on his quest for vengeance.

~~

When the phone under the liquor rack started to ring, he glanced around before reaching for it. The fresh meat from earlier was gone and Glitch was momentarily sad for the missed opportunity for some entertainment. He picked up the phone, listened for only as long as it took to get the message then hung up without reply. The man on the other end would understand.

Giving a nod to his backup, a young woman he had been training for a couple of annuals, Glitch reached under the bar and grabbed his jacket. He somehow knew it would be the last he saw of this place.

~~

Cain skipped the last few rungs of the fire ladder and jump to the ground, spotting Raw and DG hiding in the dark behind the corner of the building. He’d only taken a few steps when the door opened behind them. Instinctively, Cain drew his weapon and trained it on the man who exited. The dim light over the outside of the door reflected off of several shining _things_ in the man’s hair.

A hand on his arm and Cain looked up, meeting Raw’s calm expression. “Bartender.”

Heaving a sigh, Cain holstered his gun and glared at their new fourth. “You’re with us, apparently.”

Glitch grinned and did a little shuffle step up behind Cain, sticking his hand into one of Cain’s pants pockets before Cain could stop him. “Lucky you,” he purred, giving Cain’s ear a nip with his teeth before Cain pushed him away. “Come on then, pretty boy, we’ve got places to be. At least, I think we do.”

“You gonna tell us your name?” Cain snapped, glad for the darkness that hid his embarrassed blush at the other man’s attentions. He glanced around the corner as they reached the end of the alley, spotting DeMilo’s wagon parked out front where they’d left it. “Let’s go,” he ordered, leading the way.

“The name’s Glitch,” Glitch answered, keeping close to Cain as the four of them commandeered the not-so-subtle escape vehicle. “On account of sometimes my synapses don’t fire right. What with the – “ he ran his fingers down the length of the zipper just before climbing into the wagon behind the driver’s seat, his jacket already tossed into the back. The chains remained caught in his grip and he absently toyed with them, looping the beaded strands around his palm. “Nice ride, by the way. Very subtle. They’ll never find us in this. Let’s sneak off under the cover of darkness in the biggest, loudest car in the county.”

“Shut it,” Cain growled, struggling with the starter.

The proper owner appeared at the window, screaming and flailing his short arms. “That’s my wagon! You’re stealing my wagon! You can’t do that, I’ve got a wife and family!”

“How do you start this thing?” Cain ignored the ranting as he fought the clutch.

“Oh, you pull on the thing,” DeMilo answered calmly, reaching in to indicate which thing he meant.

Cain did as he was told and the engine roared to life, then Cain emitted an undignified yelp. “He wasn’t talking to YOU, Glitch,” Cain removed the hand from his lap and gave a shuddering sigh. “Thanks,” he called out the window as they pulled away, ignoring DeMilo’s indignant shouts.

~~

Glitch shivered in his obscenely thick blanket, his tank top and jacket doing little to combat the freezing weather pounding their trusty wagon.

Which without warning lurched to an abrupt halt, sending Glitch into Raw’s lap. Raw grunted and shoved him off again. They both jumped when the latch holding the canvas wall of the wagon was released and it rolled up, sending them both tumbling head-first out into the wind. “Oh, what _now_?” Glitch wailed, clutching his blanket and squinting against the blinding flurries of snow.

“Broke axel,” Raw informed him loudly.

“You got it,” Cain told him, tucking an axe handle into his belt. “We’re walking.”

Glitch groaned and buried his face in his blanket. “I should have stayed at the bar,” he mumbled, only slightly mollified by the soothing hand on his back. He’d have preferred the hand belong to Cain, but Raw would do. Besides, it also took some of the soreness in his back away so he considered it a win.

With a low whimper, Glitch swung his legs around and dropped out of the back of the wagon, taking his blanket with him. As soon as he set foot outside, his hair was turned into a white mess of wet snow. Dropping his head down and letting the it curtain around his face, he kept his eyes on Cain’s feet in front of him as the four of them continued on to the Northern Island on foot.

When DG stopped at the top of the ridge, Glitch barely avoided running into her. He looked up, following the line of her arm. “There.”

“That’s an island?” Glitch asked incredulously.

“Frozen in time in a sea of ice,” DG said slowly, her voice muffed by the simple scarf she wore to ward off the bitter cold. “Just like in my dad’s stories.”

“Well, come on, then,” Glitch reached out and pushed Raw out of his way. “Maybe there’s a fireplace we can use.” He set off again into the deep snow, trusting the others to follow.

~~


	3. Northern Island

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Cain, DG, and Raw had first encountered Glitch working as a bartender in the Mystic Man's club? This story is an AU that parallels the series using this scenario.

Chapter 2: Northern Island

 

There was a rush of brisk, musky air when the door opened and it triggered something in Glitch’s mind. Vague, half-formed memories of a lifetime he had long since forgotten, of long evenings next to a warm fire and chasing little girls on a frozen lake. Transfixed, he let go of his striped blanket and ducked inside after DG, staring around at the cavernous entrance hall of the ice castle.

Their steps echoed loudly, all four lost in their own wonderment at the sheer size of the room and the columns of marble that held it up.

“My mother was the _Queen_?” DG’s voice cut through the breathless silence. Everyone stopped behind her, staring in disbelief at the massive portrait hanging at the top of the central staircase. Then she turned to Glitch, who still had his back to the others in his daze, still trying to take it all in. “You knew my mother.”

Glitch swung around and tilted his head back, eyes wide as he recognized something of himself in the stranger in the painting. The hair was too short, the clothing too stiff, the face too timid, but it was _him_. A breathy laugh escaped and he looked down at himself, at the jacket he had worn for as long as he could remember. It was faded and a bit threadbare at the wrists and elbows, the tails starting to fray, but it had always made him feel like someone important. Now he understood why. “I don’t remember her,” he admitted awkwardly, reaching up to play with his chains out of habit. “Do you...suppose I was important to her?”

“By the looks of it, you sure were,” Cain said quietly, unable to look away from the image in the picture. Everything he had assumed about Glitch, about his past, had been completely shaken by this revelation and he couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt. “The Queen doesn’t have portraits like that made with just anyone.”

“I wonder – “ Glitch started, only to cut himself off, biting his lip thoughtfully.

“...waiting for her daughter to return...” DG’s voice finally registered and Glitch blinked quickly, in time to see her start running for the stairs. The rest of them had little choice but to follow, calling to her to slow down.

Upstairs, everything was swathed with dust covers but the feel of the room held the same haunting familiarity as the downstairs hallway. Glitch spotted an oddly shaped piece and frowned. “This is so _familiar_ ,” he said to himself, whisking the cloth free in a flourish. He gasped then his mind went blank. “No.” With a shake of his head, he dropped the cover and turned to where DG stood near a vanity table.

“Bad things,” Raw spoke, his voice filled with fear. That alone was enough to get Glitch’s attention away from the uneasy ghostly recall he was drifting through in his mind. “Bad things happen here. We go now.”

“What bad things?” DG asked urgently. “Raw, please.”

“Show her,” Cain ordered and suddenly, with the touch of Raw’s hands, they were watching the past unfold in the looking glass. It was dark and unsettling, to see the woman before them as a very young girl.

“That’s you,” Glitch realized out loud, his memory fixating on the images in the glass. “I knew you too!” He was remembering more here, in this place, than he had in _annuals_ and it was almost overwhelming.

He shuddered when a young woman came into view, his revulsion deeply rooted in his psyche. If there was one thing he knew, it was _her_ who had ordered his brain be removed. He had long since forgotten the reason why, but he some part of him knew it had been personal. At least he now had a better understanding. “That’s Azkadellia,” he muttered. “Evil like that, you don’t forget.”

“Azkadellia is my sister,” DG declared.

It was all Glitch could do not to roll his eyes. _The rest of us figured that out about five minutes ago_ , the childish part of his brain sneered.

“She tried to kill me.”

“No, she did kill you,” Cain corrected, even as they watched the Queen return and bring the girl back to life.

“But that can’t be,” DG looked at her own hands, as if to assure herself that she had indeed lived past the age of five.

And when Azkadellia herself appeared with her soldiers, a new wave of fear and anger brought Glitch forward, the instinct to protect DG fierce. “Leave her alone,” he snarled, hands clenched at his sides.

Azkadellia dismissed him with a look. “Keeping the company of prostitutes, I see,” she sneered. But Glitch knew the truth; he could see the flash of recognition in her eyes. She _remembered_ him – and he no longer mattered. That in itself burned.

Her hands opened to reveal a foggy glass lantern and a vision of their mother, bringing Glitch another pang of recollection. Before he could catch the fleeting feeling, DG had thrown the lantern to the ground and everything erupted around them. All around him, the world blurred and Glitch heard Cain order him to run, to go with DG. He hesitated only a breath, long enough to realize that Cain would not be coming with them, but staying to fight.

There was motion all around him, horrible creatures attacking from above as he tried to find DG and Raw amid the dizzying columns downstairs but he was engulfed by the mobats, their claws pulling painfully on his tangled hair and chains. He covered his face and lost track of everything, the world around him filled with screeching and pain until it all faded away.

~~

Glitch woke with a start, unmoving until the blood rushed from his ears and his hearing cleared. He was alone and it was _quiet_. It was a relief until he grasped that this was a very bad thing.

Flipping over and sitting up, his hand went up to check on his zipper. The last thing he remembered was dozens of sharp fingers and claws pulling on his chains. Tab still closed, chains still attached. He pulled them where he could see, running their length over his palm to make sure everything was still where it belonged.

Reassured, he stood and was immediately swamped with dizzying nausea. He stumbled, touching his temple until it passed. Looking around the empty hall, he called out in a pathetic attempt to find what he could not see. “Raw?”

His feet took him upstairs and back to the room they had come from. On the floor, he found a familiar hat and gun, but no sign of Cain himself. Glitch felt his stomach tighten, terrified that he had already lost the few people who knew anything about him, who had taken it upon themselves to _care_. Who he had grown, in such a short time, to care _about_ in return.

A cold breeze caught him by surprise and he looked up, snow drifting in from the shattered window. Carefully, he peered out the gaping hole and saw a dark shape broken through the lake below.

Sickened at the implication, Glitch stood and turned, running as fast as his numb body would take him until he found his way back to the front door.

Outside in the snow, a second spot of darkness took form and Glitch stepped up to it. He knew that jacket almost as well as his own by now. “Cain.”

Glitch wondered if he would ever feel warm again as he tucked the gun into his pocket and stuck the hat on his own head, pushing the hair down and pressing the freezing chains into his scalp. He knelt down and dragged the stiff, cold body onto his shoulders, then set out into the snow, following the faint outline of their tracks back to where they had left the wagon. It was their only chance.

He just hoped the body on his shoulders still held life in it.

~~


	4. DeMilo's Wagon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Cain, DG, and Raw had first encountered Glitch working as a bartender in the Mystic Man's club? This story is an AU that parallels the series using this scenerio.

  
Chapter 3: DeMilo's Wagon

 

_My family’s alive?_

Cain woke with a jolt, the blue dream world dissolving into a dark, distantly familiar and cramped little room. His chest hurt but he lay on something soft; was covered in something warm and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the flicker of flames. He turned to look at the unexpected fire, noticing the heat of it seeping into his sock and blanket covered toes.

One whole side of his body was warmer than the other and he rolled his head the other way and tensed. There was a tangle of memorable curls and unmistakable chains, beads and blue-green medallions very close to his head. In fact, the whole mess was resting on his shoulder.

Glitch was stretched alongside Cain’s body, half-draped over him with blankets covering them both.

Though his first impulse was to push the sleeping man away, Cain hesitated. Remembered what had happened and it dawned on him how he must have gotten here, safe and warm and _alive_. It was thanks to Glitch, this stranger they had unexpectedly and reluctantly collected from a seedy house of ill repute. This man who had once been at the Queen’s right hand.

It was this new knowledge that gave Cain pause and he stared up at the ceiling, licking his chapped lips. _I owe him my life,_ he thought. _The least I can do is let him sleep where it’s warm._

Cain pulled the blanket up a bit, catching sight of bare skin. Glitch had taken off his coat but still wore the white tank top. For a few moments, the dark tendrils of ink that wove under the cloth and up below the curtain of long, curled hair captivated Cain. He carefully used one finger to drag the hair aside until he could clearly see the tattoos. They went all the way up the back of Glitch’s neck and disappeared under the shirt, wound up and over the tops of his shoulders, ending in spiked tips at the front. There was something very beautiful in their simplicity and Cain wondered at what point in Glitch’s life they had appeared.

Glitch shifted and snuffed against Cain’s chest but didn’t wake up. Cain let the blanket drop and drifted back to sleep.

~~

Movement woke him the second time and Cain opened his eyes to see Glitch sitting up and stretching long, bare arms over his head. “Morning, sweetheart,” Glitch grinned down at him, one hand falling to rest intimately on Cain’s stomach.

“I’m definitely not your sweetheart,” Cain batted the hand away, though not as hard has he would have yesterday. He watched as Glitch crawled out from under the blanket and shuffled on his hands and knees over to the dying fire, adding a few small pieces of wood from a nearby pile.

“You know, I may have saved you from hypothermia but,” Glitch dug through the pockets of his crumpled jacket, finally holding up a small horse. “This is what saved your life.”

Taking the horse and looking at the embedded bullet in disbelief, Cain lay back against his pillow. “DG?” Cain asked.

Glitch winced, stabbing the coals with a long stick. “Azkadellia.”

Cain grimaced. “Raw?”

“I don’t know,” Glitch sighed. “Either she took him too, or he’s dead...”

“Maybe he just ran away,” Cain added bitterly.

Glitch slammed down a piece of wood in disgust. “You know, Cain, we’re going to have to do something about that bitter cynicism of yours.”

“Why? Where did your optimism and loyalty get you?” Even as the words left his mouth, Cain regretted them.

The silence was painful and Glitch finally looked at the floor, one hand going up to twist his chains. “That’s cold, even for you, Cain.”

“I’m sorry,” Cain said softly, meaning it. “I just...before Zero shot me, he told me something. My family – he said they’re alive.”

Glitch raised his head, frowning. “You’ve got a family?”

“A wife and son,” Cain confirmed, “I thought...Zero’s men locked me in that damn suit and that’s the last I saw of them. I thought they were dead.”

“Suit?”

Cain recalled that Glitch knew little about the other three and reluctantly explained. “That’s where DG found me, still stuck in one of those tin boxes, for probably about ten annuals. We found Raw in the Papay fields after that.” Cain slowly sat up, wincing at the bruised soreness in his chest. “What about you, zipperhead? To be honest, I took you for someone who belonged on the stage of that club rather than behind the bar. How did you end up there, after being the Queen’s right hand man?”

Glitch shrugged, settling down on his backside and pulling his knees up, wrapping long arms around them. “I don’t remember,” he answered, staring into the renewed flames. “I can tell you there was a time I worked somewhere else before Mystic Man, somewhere not so pleasant.” He snorted derisively.

On impulse, Cain leaned forward and rested his hand on Glitch’s raised knee. “You’re with us know and we’re going to figure you out, get you back where you belong. Got that?”

Glitch smiled brightly, tilting his head so his chains swung heavily to the side. “Always know how to cheer a guy up, right?”

“You got it,” Cain smiled back. “Hey, Glitch?”

“Yeah?”

“I owe you one.”

The smile grew wider, but somehow more knowing at those words. “You know, Cain, you’re exhibiting the classic symptoms of what the psychological field likes to call ‘Boy Scout Syndrome.’ You realize - Oh!” He interrupted himself. “Look what I found earlier,” Glitch glanced around for a moment, then paused. “Oh! Look what I found...”

“You said that already,” Cain’s smile dropped at the reminder that his companion wasn’t quite a hundred percent. Literally.

“Did I? Sorry,” Glitch blushed and shook his head. His face lit up when he spotted what he had been looking for, or rather what he had apparently found. “It’s shiny!” He held up a length of fabric, a pale green silk ribbon with metallic silver thread running through it.

Cain eyed the ribbon, uncertain as to Glitch’s intentions. “What are your plans for that?”

“You’re pretty but you can’t afford me.” Glitch rolled his eyes and reached behind his head, gathering up his long hair and using the ribbon to tie it together at the nape of his neck. His chains were left out of the restraint, remaining free as they hung from the pull of the zipper. “How do I look?”

Swallowing hard, Cain forced a smile. “Fine,” he said, but so much more sprang to mind. He could see the tattoos again, contrasting sharply with the white shirt. The glass beads and flat disks on the chains glimmered in the firelight, their colors reflecting and brightening the tiny wagon considerably. This man intrigued him in ways he hadn’t known for a very long time.

He blamed it on his lengthy captivity but somewhere deep in his mind, he knew better. Glitch was slowly working his way under Cain’s skin, with all these hidden facets shining through just like all those odds and ends collected on the chains.

There was much more to Glitch than Cain had ever expected and he was beginning to understand why the Mystic Man had entrusted Cain with Glitch’s life. He was important, but Cain had yet to figure out exactly how truly valuable this man was.

~~


	5. The Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Cain, DG, and Raw had first encountered Glitch working as a bartender in the Mystic Man's club? This story is an AU that parallels the series using this scenario.

  
Chapter 4 – The Tower

 

The wagon still had a broken axel and they had no choice but to head back down the mountain on foot. Cain’s clothes had dried stiff and chaffed in the most uncomfortable places. And Glitch hadn’t stopped talking since they started out that morning.

“...it really is fascinating to consider,” Glitch prattled on aimlessly, wandering from tree to tree on their journey toward the Tower. “What do you suppose I did, working for the Queen? I mean, I can’t picture myself on the _military_ side of things.” There was a self-deprecating chuckle. “Can you imagine?”

“You saw that painting,” Cain reminded him. “You don’t look like you used to and with the headcasing, your personality was probably changed quite a bit as well.”

Glitch paused, one hand resting on a thick trunk. “Huh,” he frowned. “I hadn’t considered that. You no doubt would have liked me better back then, if that’s true.”

“I like you just fine now,” Cain nudged him with a hand to get him moving again. “But if you don’t shut up, I might just leave you back here. We’re trying not to announce ourselves here.”

“Oh, right,” Glitch nodded and continued on in silence.

By mid-afternoon they were huddled on top of a grassy hill amid prickly bushes and yellow-green moss. Below, neat formations of leather-clad soldiers marched without any apparent purpose. Cain watched them as he calculated distance, possible paths, and odds of the two of them getting into the formidable structure unnoticed.

“...I’m not saying I was the most interesting or talented dancer at the club but I cut quite an image up there in my day,” Glitch was saying, his back turned to Cain and apparently in his own world once again. “You can mock me all you want, Cain, but there was a time that I was a _fantastic_ dancer.”

It was one of the more common results of headcasing – becoming a prisoner of your own mind, caught in a loop of memory or thought that could not easily be interrupted. Cain knew they were far enough away not to be heard so he let it go for now.

After a pause and a sigh of frustration, Glitch went on. “She may have taken my brains, but _rhythm_ , that comes directly from your – “

“You have any bright ideas how to get in there?” Cain finally cut him off sharply.

“I mean – I don’t mind taxing my half-a-brain for DG, but just _once_ I wish that _someone_ ,” Glitch glance pointedly over his shoulder at Cain, the long chains swinging with the movement. “...would acknowledge me for my rhythm. Which – as I was saying before I was so _rudely_ interrupted, comes directly from the _soul_.”

Cain stared at Glitch, fascinated and more than a little amused at the intensity of Glitch’s conviction. After a moment, he saw Glitch’s head turn back to him with a little hint of a smile, but that disappeared quickly when whatever he was hoping to see in Cain’s face apparently had not been there.

Glitch turned away again, reaching up to tug at his chains. By now, Cain had figured out that this was Glitch’s nervous fretting. “Sometimes, Cain, you make me feel just like the people at that nightclub did – like I blend right in with the stage curtains.”

As he spoke, Cain spotted a group of Longcoats standing on their own, not paying attention to anything around them. He smirked. “That’s a good idea.”

Glitch’s head snapped back again and he grinned, catching on more quickly than Cain would have expected. “You wanna dance?” His grin was crooked and devious, a combination that had Cain’s stomach knotting without warning and his heart starting to pound. He blamed it on the rush of the upcoming fight.

“I’ll lead, you follow,” Cain told him firmly, though he could tell he was grinning in return. They stood together and made their way down into the dip between short hills.

Signaling Glitch to stay back and silent, Cain skulked forward until he was close enough between the four men to see what had their rapt attention. _Figures, a porno flick,_ he thought, catching sight of the portable video player they held between them. He laughed along with them until one turned and noticed him.

Within seconds, a melee had erupted and Cain caught a fist to the jaw, sending him staggering back. Before he could pull himself up and worry for their safety, Glitch came flying out from nowhere, feet-first and he had two men on the ground, the other two subdued in a flurry of fists and roundhouse kicks. It was like nothing Cain had ever seen, not even during his own academy training. He couldn’t hold back the shocked exclamation of approval as Glitch whirled in perfect, confident rhythm, his hair starting to come loose from its tie and his chains swaying with every move.

Stunned and frozen in place, Cain stared in awe as Glitch was the last one standing, surrounded by four downed soldiers. Glitch gave a single firm nod as if to indicate his work was done.

Then suddenly he was flying at _Cain_ and for a crazy moment Cain was worried that Glitch had forgotten they were on the same side. Then they were in the dirt, on their backs next to one another, arms wrapped intimately and Cain saw a jeep out of the corner of his eye, driving dangerously close to where they were.

“You’re a deep well, Glitch,” Cain finally said, turning to face Glitch.

Glitch, pale and breathing hard, gave a sharp nod. “It’s all about rhythm,” he repeated, somehow making the words sound matter-of-fact rather than seductive.

Cain got the feeling that Glitch was changing, slowly but surely, into his former self the longer he was away from the seedy depths of the nightclub scene. He wasn’t sure if this pleased him – he had rather enjoyed the playful flirting and occasional touches. _Though at what cost_ , he reminded himself, _had that personality come into being._

“Come on,” Glitch sat up, dragging Cain to his feet with him. Glitch shucked his jacket and tucked it under a nearby bush, leaving him with only the white tank top again and a full display of his tattoos. Cain forced himself to look away, to concentrate on what Glitch was doing. Which, it turned out, was stripping the long, leather jacket from one of the unconscious Longcoats.

Catching on, Cain discarded his own jacket and hat, hiding them with Glitch’s coat and procuring a disguise of his own.

Glitch was the first to finish figuring out all the buckles and buttons and snaps so he reached out and helped Cain get his stolen coat properly fastened. “There,” he declared then wrinkled his nose. “That is definitely not a good look for you.”

Cain chose to his tongue, as all he could think was that the black leather was most assuredly a good look for Glitch. The dark eyes, dark hair pulled back to reveal the trellis of tattoos winding up the back and sides of his neck, the silver chains with their assorted colorful attachments...even the _zipper_...it all worked to blend in with the design of the Longcoat jacket. It was a bit disconcerting, actually.

Giving himself a shake, Cain nodded his head in the direction of the Tower. “Come on. We’ve got a Princess to rescue.”

“How very noble!” Glitch said in all seriousness and trotted along after Cain.

They made their way into and through the dim halls of the Tower undisturbed, which was strange in itself as Glitch’s zipper was not exactly standard issue for Longcoats. Deciding to take advantage of their good fortune, they both focused on reaching the prison cells and hopefully find DG.

Neither one noticed movement to their left until it was too late and there was a horrific crack, then Glitch was on the floor, clutching his head. Cain knelt down, terrified that Glitch had been seriously hurt, terrified they’d been caught, until he heard a distinctly female voice above them.

“Mr. Cain!”

Cain looked up, Glitch still in his hands, to see DG wielding a massive wrench and Raw standing at her side. “Hey, Princess,” he greeted her with a tight smile before turning back to Glitch. “You okay?”

“No, but I think we should get out of here first,” Glitch sat back on his heels and scratched at his zipper with a grimace, the chains rattling. “That could bust a zipper,” he snapped at DG. He fingered the lengths of his chains, counting them to make sure none were broken. Assured that they were intact, he took Cain’s proffered hand and climbed unsteadily to his feet. “Which way?”

DG pointed to a small, annoyed-looking dog. “He seems to know the way out.” With that, she ran after the animal and the others had no choice but to go with her. They made their way through tight tunnels and dark corridors until they emerged out of a massive pipe into the sunlight.

They ran full-tilt into the woods, stopping only when they were well hidden and Glitch had stumbled into Cain, nearly knocking them both down. Cain caught Glitch in his hands. “Here,” he said gently, quickly working the leather coat off of Glitch’s frame. He tossed it aside. “Sit down, let me look at your head.”

Glitch sank down gratefully, wincing when he touched his tender scalp.

“I’m really sorry about that, Glitch,” DG said, kneeling down in front of Glitch. “I didn’t know it was you guys.”

“It’s okay, doll,” Glitch’s smile was tight with pain. He sat still as Cain’s fingers probed his head and he closed his eyes, enjoying the rare gentle touch while he had the chance. Soon those hands were replaced and a large palm rested on his head, followed by a sudden flood of warmth. The pain disappeared.

Looking up, Glitch saw Raw standing over him, looking pleased. “Better?”

“Yeah,” Glitch blinked, surprised. “How’d you do that?”

“He’s a Viewer,” Cain said as if that explained everything, helping Glitch to his feet again.

“Ah,” Glitch nodded, though he only had a vague recollection of what that might mean.

The tiny dog that had led them out of the Tower barked urgently and the four of them turned in time to see it, and the air around it, warp and change until abruptly there was a man there. Glitch stumbled back and hid behind Cain.

“Don’t be scared,” the stranger said, his voice slow and soothing. He looked at DG. “I’m a friend of your mother’s. She sent me to help you.”

~~


	6. Ralph and Lorraine’s Cabin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Cain, DG, and Raw had first encountered Glitch working as a bartender in the Mystic Man's club? This story is an AU that parallels the series using this scenario.

  
Chapter 5 – Ralph and Lorraine’s Cabin

 

Glitch was quiet as the growing group of travelers trudged their way through the woods and Cain found that he missed the sound of Glitch’s voice. Somehow it had become a constant on their seemingly unending tour of the O.Z. Since Tutor had shown them the poster with all four of their faces on it, all of them had become apprehensive. Cain had the uneasy feeling of being watched and he suspected the same was true of everyone else.

Letting Raw, DG and Tutor pull a little further ahead, Cain slowed to match Glitch’s listless pace. He bumped his shoulder against Glitch’s lightly, eliciting a tiny smile. “What’s on your mind?”

“A whole lot of empty space,” Glitch gave a mirthless chuckle. He jerked his chin up sharply. “What do you make of this Toto guy? I don’t like that he knew who we all were, even me.”

Cain sighed. “I don’t trust him, that’s for sure,” he answered quietly. He saw Raw turn and shoot them a look. Ignoring it, Cain continued. “It makes sense he’d know about DG, if it’s true that he was her and Azkadellia’s teacher growing up. I’ve been with her almost since she got here and Zero knows I got out of the suit. Raw was in the Tower with DG.”

“But – wait,” Glitch frowned deeply, scratching behind his ear. “As far as they know, Zero killed you when he shot you out the window. And how do they know Raw got out with DG? And there’s no reason for them to expect me to be alive – they left me for the mobats back on the Island! How would they have even gotten those posters made, especially with me on them? It doesn’t make any sense!”

“All very good questions,” Cain could feel a headache coming on and he rubbed his temple. “Which just leads us to the question of why Toto here even has one on him in the first place.”

“That...is also a very good question,” Glitch narrowed his eyes, studying their newest addition.

With so many things unanswered weighing on their minds, the two men fell quiet once again. Though their thoughts were unsettling, the silence between them was comfortable.

~~

“So? Longcoats get cold, too. Trust me, I’ve shared a bed with enough of them,” Glitch cut a hand indistinctly through the air.

Cain flinched at the reminder of what Glitch had once been but chose to let it go for now. “The smoke is blue.” With that, he led the way toward the cabin they had spotted in the distance, with its recognizable signal.

Thankful for tradition and the fact that the code words had remained unchanged in the decade he had been imprisoned, Cain breathed a sigh of relief when the cabin’s owner lowered his rifle, introducing himself as Ralph and his wife as Lorraine. He stepped aside to allow entrance to the five strangers.

Sticking close to Glitch, who was drawing looks of suspicion (no doubt due to the zipper alone, never mind the assortment of other decorations he carried on his body), Cain gratefully accepted a seat at the long table taking up a majority of the cabin’s main room. Introductions were made, food was served by Lorraine and hot coffee was produced. After they’d finished their small but extremely welcome meal, the conversation began in earnest.

“What word is there from the north?” Ralph began, hunching over his steaming mug, his worn fingers tracing the rim.

“We were hoping you could tell us,” Cain replied with a frustrated grimace.

“Well, rumor has it there’s been a bit increase in labor up in the Black Mountains, the mining towns are growing like mad,” Ralph told them.

Cain glanced over at Raw and then Glitch, both of whom gave him blank looks in return. He turned back to Ralph. “What are they mining?”

“Moritanium.”

“What’s that?” Cain wrinkled his nose, covering it with a deep swallow of coffee.

“Moritanium. Big M, little t, number 216 on the Ozian periodic table,” Glitch shocked them all by speaking up for the first time since before they’d eaten.

Cain’s head snapped around and he gaped at his friend. “What’d you just say?”

“Glitch, this is very important,” DG cut in urgently. “What’s it used for?”

Glitch’s eyes were glazed, lost somewhere none of them could follow. “Other than it’s strength, Moritanium is known for its ability to conduct magical energies.”

“How do you know all this?” Cain was halfway on his feet, flustered and astonished at what he was hearing. _Hell, Glitch is some kind of genius scientist_ , he thought insanely.

Shaken from his memory, Glitch looked up at Cain. “I – don’t know.”

“Word is Azkadellia’s building some kind of huge machine in that tower of hers,” Ralph volunteered helpfully.

“If she gets the emerald, she can use it however she wants,” DG pointed out.

Cain’s hands clenched at his sides. “So it’s a weapon.”

“No, it’s a Sun Seeder,” Glitch corrected hastily, then blinked in confusion.

DG was the quickest to ask. “What’s a Sun Seeder?”

Glitch’s mouth moved silently for a moment, then he reached up to pull at his chains. “I don’t remember.” He struggled with his own mind, his face falling. “I don’t remember.”

“We don’t have time for this,” DG declared coldly, standing. “Raw?”

Glitch looked up and Cain could see the first hint of fear in his eyes. Kneeling next to Glitch’s chair, he spoke softly. “Raw’s a Viewer, remember? He can do what he did back on the island, look into your mind and try to find what you can’t get to. Are you okay with that?”

A defeated shrug was Glitch’s answer. “If I’m the only one who knows, we don’t really have much choice. After all, there must be a reason Mystic Man sent me with you.”

“Right,” Cain forced an encouraging smile and stood, one hand squeezing Glitch’s shoulder. “Come on.”

Reluctantly, Glitch stood as well and allowed Cain to lead him over to the chair closest to the fireplace mantle. He watched with apprehension as Raw took a deep, calming breath and turned to face Glitch. “I’m not so sure about this,” Glitch said shakily.

“It won’t hurt, I promise,” Cain said reassuringly, standing nearby with DG. He watched as Raw’s hands went to Glitch’s head, first gathering the loose chains and settling them together neatly down the back.

“It’s not that,” Glitch fidgeted, leaning forward slightly only to be caught back again by Raw, who firmed his hold. “I’m talking about Fluffy here diving into my cranium. It’s an invasion of my privacy and all.”

“Focus, Glitch,” Cain said softly, hoping to calm the increasingly nervous man.

Glitch sighed and closed his eyes, his brow crinkling when Raw shifted to lay one big hand over the top of his zipper and the other lifted to touch the mirror. Both of them jerked sharply, Glitch gasping and tightening his hold on the armrests of the chair.

The image was too blurry for Cain to make out at first. It was an apparently random collection of flashes, of memories from any number of places and times. He realized what they were seeing was most likely how Glitch saw the world – time and location had little meaning and every moment was a constant tussle against his own mind. That Glitch managed to remain so coherent and competent was all the more astonishing in light of this new understanding of his worldview.

There was a flash of Glitch running through a wooded area, his hair shorter, standing up in tangled clumps and spikes. This was replaced by another, far more disturbing memory of a red and blue tinted platform, Glitch among a few others dancing seductively for an uninterested crowd. Cain’s breath caught in his throat, horrified but unable to look away. He knew now why Glitch had been so averse to letting them into his mind – who knows what would be revealed?

But Raw regained control of the flow of memories, searching out the information they needed. A golden haze settled over the scene and a younger, more clean-cut version of Glitch appeared, wringing his hands nervously in front of his face. Cain had seen this man before – it was the man from the portrait. Even the jacket was the same.

As they watched, Glitch knelt next to a woman in a garden seat, his hand resting intimately on the chair’s arm. When the woman turned, Cain recognized her as the Queen, though the paleness of her hair and face told him this was after she had saved DG’s life. They spoke in soft, urgent tones of fallen brigades, loyal generals defecting and Glitch pleaded with her. Told her he had destroyed the plans for his Sun Seeder.

“ _She’ll come after you, Ambrose_ ,” she said, grasping his arm tightly. Her voice, her face, betrayed her fear for him. The _Queen herself_ feared for this man’s life – this man who’s proper name they had all just heard. _Ambrose_.

Then Azkadellia was there, her men taking Ambrose away and the colors changed again. Cain pulled his gaze from the mirror and glanced down, stunned to see how badly Glitch was shaking. He wanted to stop this, to step up and pull Glitch from this pain but he knew they had to see it out. For all of their sakes.

Back in the mirror, there was a bright white light then everything was a sickly pale blue. Ambrose’s face was full of terror as he pleaded for his life, begging them not to take his brain, until he, too, faded into black.

It was Glitch’s sharp cry that broke the silence, Raw’s hand pulling away and leaving them all shocked and appalled at what they had just witnessed.

“What? What is it? Was my machine so bad?” Glitch sounded so lost and unsure of himself, unlike the Glitch they knew, that it broke Cain’s heart. He couldn’t get his feet to move so it was DG who stepped forward to embrace Glitch, giving him the comfort and reassurance that Cain so badly wanted to himself.

“No, but whatever it is, you sure sacrificed a lot to keep it from Azkadellia,” Cain finally managed. It must have been the right thing to say, because Glitch closed his eyes and slumped in relief.

“I’m sure it’s not the biggest sacrifice made in the name of science,” Glitch joked weakly, but brought his hands up to hold onto DG’s arm for support.

As Cain watched from the side, Glitch stood and was escorted out of the room by a silent, soothing Raw.

Cain turned to follow but something on a nearby table caught his eye. He walked over and picked it up, his heart racing at the familiar feel of it in his hand. “Where did you get this?” he asked Ralph.

“A Captain from the lowlands came through a few months ago, he and his mother live just on the other side of the crack in the O.Z, under a white elm,” Ralph replied. “Their names are – “

“Jeb,” Cain interrupted. “And Adora.”

But for the first time since he was released from the tin suit, Cain had mixed feelings about what he would do if he did, indeed, find his lost wife. He loved her, he always would. But in his mind, she would always be that woman in the film loop, frozen ten annuals ago.

Somehow, unexpectedly, someone new had become so deeply embedded in his life, in such a short time, that it threw everything into chaos.

Glitch had been at his side since Central City, saving his life, talking endlessly and filling in all the holes missing in Cain’s shattered heart. He couldn’t imagine going on, after everything they’d been through and after all of this was over, without Glitch still beside him.

~~


	7. Finaqua

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Cain, DG, and Raw had first encountered Glitch working as a bartender in the Mystic Man's club? This story is an AU that parallels the series using this scenario.

  
Chapter 6 – Finaqua

 

When Cain’s feet touched the ground on the other side of the crack that cut a swath across the O.Z., the first thing he did was drop the dog. He still found the thought of this shapeshifting man disconcerting.

Glitch was rubbing his nose as they started off again. Falling into step with him once again, Cain gave him a curious look. “You allergic to something?”

“No,” Glitch glanced at him with an embarrassed smile. “I smacked face-first into the tree at the end of the line.”

“Ouch,” Cain winced in sympathy. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Glitch said as he dropped his hand, automatically taking Cain’s hand in his own and squeezing it once. It was an unconscious gesture of reassurance, but Cain hadn’t expected it. He looked down at their hands and back up to Glitch’s face.

Glitch seemed as startled by what he’d done as Cain was and he let go quickly. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Cain said quietly. Because it _was_. And that scared him.

Glitch seemed to pick up on something in his voice and met his gaze, studying him. He must have seen something he hadn’t anticipated because his eyes went wide and he turned away, swallowing hard. “Cain – “

“We’re not talking about this, Glitch,” Cain stopped him before they got themselves any deeper into trouble. “Not now. Maybe not ever.”

At first Glitch looked like he was going to argue but he suddenly stopped, his head dropping down and his hand searching out the chains once again. “I understand.”

“No, you don’t,” Cain snarled, half to himself. “Hell, I don’t understand it, not even a little bit. But please – don’t think that it’s you that’s the problem. Got that? It’s not. I’m just...confused and...”

“Cain,” Glitch cut him off before he could make a complete fool of himself. “Just let it go, all right?”

Cain rubbed his face with one hand. “We’ll see.”

They fell into silence again, both of them now feeling awkward and exposed.

As they crested the next hill, Cain saw something in the distance and his heart leapt into his throat, choking him. “That’s the tree,” he said, disbelief coloring his tone. He took off in a full-out run, his jacket flapping. “ _Adora!_ ”

The rest of the group watched him go, a mixture of hope and anticipation on their faces. But Glitch was torn, completely and utterly, in light of what he had seen in Cain’s eyes when Cain had looked at him. Maybe it was that Cain had been secluded for so long and the rarity of human touch had thrown him for a loop, making him think he felt something he really didn’t.

Or maybe there _was_ something there. After what they had shared, the closeness of their last few days bringing something new and terrifying to the surface and Cain was scared to death of what it meant. Because Cain had to know, _had to_ by now, that Glitch was not a whore – not anymore, at least. Glitch didn’t reach out and touch just anyone; only Cain.

“We don’t have time for this,” Tutor grumbled, disrupting Glitch’s inner turmoil.

“He’s always made time for us,” DG pointed out as she, too, jogged toward the white elm.

Glitch forced a smile and followed them, though he had no real desire to find out what lay at the end of this particular path.

But when they reached the broken down cabin and made their way around the back, what they saw stopped them in their tracks. Cain was kneeling in front of a worn, weathered grave marker. His fingers traced over the front.

Glitch watched him, deeply distressed for the grieving man, as Cain pulled something from his pocket and set it on the ground in front of the wooden plank. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to the marker, then stood, eyes still locked to the small grave at his feet.

Uncertain of his welcome, Glitch nevertheless made his way over to stand at Cain’s side, taking in the silver Tin Man’s badge and the name on the grave. _He was a cop_ , Glitch thought, somehow not surprised by this new knowledge. _And his wife..._ Glitch looked up and glanced around, finally spotting the tall, rusted tin suit standing crookedly nearly, watching them. “You said you had a son...” Glitch spoke softly, touching Cain’s arm gently before approaching the suit.

Cain came up behind him and reached out to pull the unlatched door open. He sighed in relief to find it empty and Glitch found himself slumping in sympathy. “He’s not here,” Cain said needlessly, though maybe he simply had to say the words out loud. “Come on. There’s nothing more we can do here.”

With that, Cain led the way out of the cabin’s yard, his footsteps somehow falling heavier in the mud than before. Glitch matched his step but stayed behind him, giving the heartbroken man some semblance of privacy to grieve.

They stopped at the rocky bank of the river sometime later that afternoon, taking the opportunity to drink to cool water and wash some of the mud from their faces and hands.

Glitch kept his distance, letting Raw be the one to approach Cain. Instead, Glitch took off his jacket and went to work on cleaning his arms in the river.

~~

Cain picked at the leaves on a bush, the sounds of his travel companions splashing in the river muffled slightly by the short distance he kept himself from them. He heard the unmistakable sound of someone approaching but didn’t bother to look up.

A hand, now familiar and not the one he craved, landed on his shoulder and a low voice spoke from behind. “Your son, Jeb, lives. He lives to honor you. I feel it.”

It was too much, too soon and Cain stood abruptly, pulling out of arm’s reach. “You feel too much,” he growled. He knew it was harsh, that Raw couldn’t help but try to give him some kind of hope. But there was too much going on in his mind right now – his wife was dead, his son was missing and Glitch...Glitch was _there_. Alive and warm and so very much a part of Cain’s life already. And that was almost more than he could handle at the moment.

~~

No one felt much like talking as they trudged through the woods. Glitch rubbed at his stomach ruefully, thinking longingly of the bright red apples that used to grow on the occasional tree in these woods. Then he recalled the one he found before they reached the kind family’s cabin, the rotten remains of once abundant fruit. He wrinkled his nose in memory.

Lost in thought, he nearly ran into Raw’s back when the others stopped. Glitch looked up, taking in the fork in the road. “Which way now?”

DG turned one way, then the other, thinking out loud. As she started down one path, Glitch followed automatically, still distractedly searching the woods for hints of something edible.

“Glitch!” Raw’s voice behind him made him turn and he realized he was alone, the others moving off in the other direction.

With a smile, he jogged after Raw’s retreating form but something on the ground caught his eye. “What’s that?” He knelt down, recognizing the round, flat blue-green disk. It was just like the ones he had clipped to his chains – perhaps one of his had fallen out unnoticed.

As he reached to retrieve it, there was a terrible and familiar screech and he shot to his feet, horrified to see one of the Witch’s mobats coming directly for him. He was frozen in fear, flashing back to the feel of their claws and teeth and hands all over him, pulling at his hair and his chains.

There was a loud shot, then another and suddenly the nightmarish creature was gone. Glitch released the breath he had been holding, his heart racing.

“Glitch, are you all right?” Cain came running up beside him, touching his arms and his face in a panic.

Glitch nodded, wrapping his hands around Cain’s arms to still them. “I’m fine,” he assured Cain, extremely touched at the real concern he saw in Cain’s face. “Little beastie came out of nowhere!”

“And once Azkadellia realized this one’s dead, she’ll come looking for it and us,” Tutor pointed out.

Cain glared at the man but conceded the truth to his words. Keeping one hand on Glitch, telling himself it was to keep the wandering headcase close by, Cain jerked his head sharply. “Let’s get out of here.”

The shining disk forgotten, Glitch let Cain lead him down the road. It wasn’t much and they hadn’t talked since they left the abandoned cabin, but it was something.

~~

It was all Cain could to do keep up with Glitch as they wove their way through the hedge maze after DG had taken off into it. Cain was still trying to wrap his brain around the fact that Glitch was navigating the bewildering twists and turns so effortlessly, as if he had done this a thousand times before.

Then Cain remembered Glitch’s former position and it occurred to him that Glitch probably _had_ walked these same paths before, in the pursuit of young, laughing girls. It was a humbling thought, to consider all Glitch had lost.

Emerging on the other side, they all stopped together as they spotted DG sitting on a wide, flat board suspended from thick ropes tied to the high branches of a massive tree. She swung listlessly, the very picture of disappointment.

“You were right about one thing,” Glitch spoke quietly, reverently. “Finaqua means ‘magical waters’ in the Ancient’s language.”

“This whole region was one of the first places Azkadellia destroyed,” Cain told her.

But DG had stopped listening, her eyes closed and her head tilted in concentration. Suddenly she jumped down, lost in memory and following an invisible trail that only she could see. The guys followed her, Cain shouting for her to slow down. They all clumsily hopped over fallen logs and staggered between the moss-covered trees trying to keep up.

When the found her, she was standing at the mouth of a cave, guarded by the picture of a mobat permanently carved into the stone.

Tutor tried to stall them but Cain couldn’t let her go in alone, not for long. They all went in after Cain led the way, where they found her studying the disturbing remains of a deeper part of the cave. She looked so lost, her face filled with despair as she was flooded with memories, of what had happened within these walls when she was only a child.

Finally, she looked back at them with tears streaming down her face. “It’s all my fault,” she sobbed. “Azkadellia didn’t want me to go and I did anyway. The Witch was here, she was trapped right in this cave and I was so scared. Az told me not to let go. I should have listened. Everything that’s happened – it’s my fault.”

It was Glitch who moved forward first, offering silent comfort as he wrapped the distraught girl into his long arms. But no one offered words – no one could. Because she was right. It may have been the unintended actions of a five annual old girl, but DG had been to blame for delivering the kingdom into the hands of evil.

Cain had lost his family; Raw had lost his as well. Glitch had lost so much – his brain, his dignity, his _life_. There was nothing any of them could say without exposing their own inner resentment. So they let DG cry, let Glitch hold her, and didn’t say a word.

~~

DG walked around the forest for a few moments in an aimless wander then dropped down and started to dig in a random pile of rocks. She surfaced with a flat heart-shaped stone and stood, ignoring the stares of those around her.

Cain watched as she threw it and rather than stirring up the dead leaves as he expected, the stone skipped along the ground as if on the surface of a lake. All around them, the forest seemed to simply drop through the ground and disappear. A field of tall grass appeared around them, a small lake stretching out in front of them and an impressive, pale mansion in the distance. But it was the white gazebo that suddenly stood in front of them that got their attention.

DG walked up the steps as the ghostly figure of the Queen rose from the center of the structure, not looking at anyone in particular and beginning to speak.

Only half listening, Cain glanced over at the others next to him. Glitch was staring, transfixed, at the image of his former employer while Tutor appeared unsurprised. Cain pursed his lips and looked back at DG, who was looking even more confused. “Who’s Ahamo?”

Next to Cain, Glitch gave a little start and Cain knew he recognized the name. But it was Tutor who answered her question. “Ahamo is your father.”

DG looked ready to scream in frustration, no doubt tired of being sent in a dozen different directions and simply wanting to complete this endless search. She stormed off into the hip-high grass.

But it was Glitch who Cain was worried about. When he turned to make sure Glitch would follow, he was confronted with a sickly pale Glitch. Not wanting to fall behind, Cain took his arm and got them moving. “Glitch? What’s wrong?”

Glitch stumbled then caught himself, his hand shaking as he reached up once again to wrap one of his chains around his fingers. “Realm of the Unwanted,” he said faintly.

Cain frowned. “That’s where this Ahamo guy is, yeah. You know how to get there?”

There was a humorless laugh and that alone made Cain’s stomach turn. “Oh, yes,” Glitch answered, tucking his arms tightly around his chest. “I’m quite familiar with it. You could say it’s where I learned some of my more...colorful talents.”

Cain felt nauseous. “You told me you worked somewhere before the Twister Club. It was down in the ‘Rotu, wasn’t it? That’s where you learned to mix drinks?”

But Glitch shattered his illusions. “I didn’t learn to bartend until after someone bought my freedom and brought me to Central.”

“Who?”

“I don’t remember,” Glitch shrugged. “But if I recognize him, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

“Don’t,” Cain tightened his hold on Glitch’s arm. “The last thing we need is someone laying claim to you. You’re with us now, you got that? You stay close to me.”

Glitch smiled weakly and nodded. “Don’t worry. The last thing I want is to lose track of you now, especially there.”

~~


	8. The ‘Rotu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Cain, DG, and Raw had first encountered Glitch working as a bartender in the Mystic Man's club? This story is an AU that parallels the series using this scenario.

  
Chapter 7 – The ‘Rotu

 

Cain was the first to climb down the ladder into the Realm of the Unwanted, what the locals nicknamed the ‘Rotu. He had been here only once before in his life, during his career as an officer before his promotion to security, and the place hadn’t changed a bit. It was a cacophony of smells and lights and noise, most of which were unpleasant.

Wiping the wood splinters from his hands onto his pants, Cain reached up to help Glitch to the ground. He vowed to keep a close eye on Glitch; bringing him down here had dredged up bad memories, things best left forgotten, but there was no way Cain was splitting the group up.

When all of them were down, Cain picked up Tutor and tucked the little dog under his arm. He settled for walking with Glitch at his side, always slightly behind him so as not to lose sight of him in the crowds.

Glitch was unusually quiet as they kept an eye out for a place to begin searching for Ahamo. Cain nudged him with his shoulder, earning a small smile. “You tell me if you see anything that sparks your memory, anything that might help us down here, okay?”

“Will do,” Glitch gave him a half-hearted salute. He finally raised his head, taking it all in. When he spotted a brightly lit and somewhat familiar window, he grinned and walked over to study the coin box. “Anyone got any money?”

Cain rolled his eyes and pulled out his revolver. Glitch stood up straight, opening his jacket as if expecting Cain to search him. It would have been amusing if the implications of such a reaction weren’t so heartrending. Choosing to ignore it, he knocked the handle against the box.

Glitch breathed an “Oh...” then stepped up in front of the window, looking at the woman inside; the box had declared her name to be Airofday. He frowned, studying her, a half-formed impression of her in his mind that quickly disappeared again. “Well, can’t say they didn’t welcome us with open arms!” he joked, getting a laugh out of Raw and an affectionate smirk from Cain.

Airofday moved, all six of her arms changing position. She looked directly at Glitch, her eyes narrowing. “Questions are answers unspoken.”

“Oh...okay,” Glitch tugged at a chain thoughtfully, missing the fleeting hint of recognition on Airofday’s face. “Isn’t it a little cramped in there?”

“Question: Reference to close quarters,” she answered seamlessly, inspecting her own surroundings as she shifted. “Answer: yes.”

Raw laughed and Glitch smiled tightly.

“All right, Glitch, that’s enough. We need to go find Ahamo,” DG interrupted the exchange impatiently.

“Question: You wish to find Ahamo. Answer: The Seeker.”

That got their attention. Glitch leaned closer to the glass. “Where can we find this Seeker?”

Airofday’s arms moved again, pointing in six different directions. Glitch barked out a laugh, glancing back to see Raw do the same. “And you thought I had trouble with directions!”

“Can you help us find him?” Cain asked.

Three hands pointed at the coin box. Cain held up his gun, Tutor still stuck under his other arm. Airofday took that as payment. The two women behind her moved out of the way, Airofday disappearing from the window and emerging from the door next to it. “You wish to find the Seeker. I can take you to him. But it will cost you.”

“How much?” Cain asked sharply, tired of the pointless games.

“Twenty platinums,” she answered firmly, holding his gaze.

“Done,” Glitch answered before Cain could argue.

“Glitch – “

“Going to earn it the way you used to?” Airofday sneered knowingly at Glitch and Cain stepped between them.

“That’s enough,” Cain snarled, hearing his growl echoed from behind as Raw took offense to her words as well.

Airofday simply tossed her hair over her shoulder, dismissing them. “One hour.” She pointed to a bar down the street, its lights and music spilling out onto the sidewalk. “ _Chains_. After all, _Glitch_ , you are due for a visit home.” With that, she smirked and went back inside her building.

Glitch laid his hand on Cain’s arm, getting his attention. “Come on,” he said firmly, taking the dog from Cain’s grip and handing him to Raw. “Raw, you and DG stay here and stay out of trouble. We’ll be back in ten minutes.”

Cain opened his mouth to ask but was unceremoniously dragged away. “Glitch, where – “

“Don’t worry,” Glitch glanced over his shoulder to make sure the others hadn’t moved. “I am capable of getting us the money without taking my clothes off.”

“That isn’t what I was thinking!” Cain threw his arms up in exasperation. “You really believe I think so little of you at this point?”

Glitch slowed his pace, his head dropping down in defeat. “No,” he answered quietly. “And I’m grateful for that. You have no idea how much.”

Cain reached up and squeezed Glitch’s shoulder, giving silent support. “So, where are we going?”

“There’s a pawn shop next to the convenience store on the corner,” Glitch pointed. As they walked, he reached up and touched the collection of chains hanging from his zipper, running his fingers down each one until he stopped on one in particular, one holding only glass and gold-colored beads but none of the flat disks.. “Here, help me get this one unhooked.”

They paused on the sidewalk, Cain standing on his toes to reach the top of Glitch’s head. He carefully unlatched the chain Glitch was holding and it was then that Cain finally realized all of them were necklaces. “Mind if I ask how you got started on your collection?”

Glitch snorted, holding his hand out to accept the chain that Cain handed him. “That bar we’re meeting the answer lady – you saw the name?”

“Yeah - _Chains_ ,” Cain nodded. “That’s where you worked?”

“Yes, it is,” Glitch’s face twisted in disgust. “Look, don’t tell DG any of this, all right? It’s not something a Princess should hear.”

“No problem.”

As they reached the door to the pawnshop, Glitch pushed it open and strode up to the counter. The woman behind the desk looked at them with no real interest. “What’d you want?”

Glitch set the necklace down on the filthy countertop. “Fifty plats for it.”

The woman gave a sharp, mocking laugh and carelessly lifted the item. “Not hardly worth a tenner,” she eyed it dubiously. “You know how many of these I see every week?”

Glitch pointed to the beads. “Real gold, the purple ones are amethyst, the green are emerald. The real thing. I don’t wear cheap glass. Fifty.”

“Ten for the baubles, the chain ain’t worth the metal it’s made from,” she countered.

“Forty. The chain’s solid silver, any dealer can see that.”

“Fifteen, with the chain then.”

“Thirty or I walk. I know as well as you do the dancers down the street will pay a fiver for each of those beads.”

Sneering, she slammed her fist into the ancient cash register. “Twenty. Final offer.”

Glitch glared but gave a sharp nod. “Deal. One large – I’m not looking to tuck ones into anyone’s hip string.”

“That’s what they all say,” she shook her head and handed him a twenty-plat bill.

Payment in hand, Glitch turned and headed for the door, a silent and stunned Cain in tow. Outside, Glitch tucked the money into Cain’s inside jacket pocket and patted it. “My memory is obviously a little out of whack, but what I can tell you the reason the club is named the way it is. All the dancers wear chains – around their waists, from their ears down to their navels. Anywhere they could hook them on; it was required.”

Cain listened intently, getting them walking back toward where they’d left the others.

“One of the veterans, when I first got there, made my first chain for me. Showed me how to clip the hook onto my zipper, said it would draw attention to it. Around here, that’s actually a good thing – the kinds of guys who pay good money for a night with one of us don’t want to be remembered. So a headcase like me could make good money for the owner.”

“So you started collecting necklaces and beads, making your own chains,” Cain brought the story back to safer ground. “What about the flat medallions? I noticed you chose one that didn’t have any of those.”

Glitch reached up to find one of them, sliding his fingers on either side of it. “Those I had on me, if you can believe it. I found them sewn into one of my jacket pockets one day. No idea where they came from, but they looked good under the lights. So I drilled a hole on the edge of each and added them on.”

“Huh,” Cain looked at the remaining chains, a good half-dozen of them, and counted at least twenty of those disks. “Wonder what they’re for.”

~~

The man known as the Seeker was tall, younger than Cain was expecting and approached them silently. His eyes roved over each of them and Cain caught a flicker of surprise when he caught sight of Glitch.

Cain turned and noticed how Glitch stiffened, eyes wide but jaw tight. He slid further behind Cain’s back, leaning in to whisper after the Seeker had turned his attention to DG.

“Remember I said I’d tell you if I saw the man who bought my freedom?”

Cain tensed at the implied recognition. His fingers twitched toward his weapon but in a few seconds, chaos erupted as they were attacked from all sides. The lights flickered dizzyingly as Cain and Glitch fought to keep track of DG, Raw roaring in rage nearby as the three of them lost sight of both the Seeker and the Princess when someone cut the overhead netting down.

When Cain emerged from under the tangled net, he noticed that he and everyone else was surrounded by Longcoats, each holding a gun on them.

Sighing, Cain nodded to Glitch and Raw to raise their hands. They had lost DG and now their freedom as well.

~~

“Ow,” Glitch complained as the Sorceress’s soldier hammered the pin holding Glitch’s shackles deep into the log. “Yeah, that’s right, abuse the guy with the zipper head.”

Cain just glared at their captors, particularly the smug Longcoat who was putting Cain’s hat on his own head. But his silent pissing contest was cut short by the arrival of Tutor, still discreet in his dog form.

Glitch leaned over his bound hands urgently. “Come on, Toto! Show these guys what you’re made of!”

Tutor turned tail and ran. Glitch’s forehead met the log and Cain kicked him from behind. “I think he just did.” He growled and tugged at his cuffs.

“Wyatt Cain,” Zero’s soft, malicious voice brought Cain back around to the more pressing problem at hand. “You’re a hard man to kill.”

“Untie me and I’ll give you another try,” Cain grinned wickedly.

Zero chuckled and drew Cain’s revolver from his own pocket, holding it up between them, then aiming it at Cain’s head. Glitch ducked out of the way; Cain took a second to be grateful that Glitch showed some survival instinct.

When Zero was pulled away by one of his men, Cain took the opportunity to consider their situation in earnest. DG was missing, Tutor had run away and the three of them left were nailed very securely to a single massive log. Though glancing over his shoulder, Cain saw that they weren’t alone. There were a couple of other prisoners chained with them. He didn’t have enough time to figure out any possible escape from their shackles, because as soon as Zero gave the order a moment later, they were being led out of the ‘Rotu.

~~


	9. The Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Cain, DG, and Raw had first encountered Glitch working as a bartender in the Mystic Man's club? This story is an AU that parallels the series using this scenario.

  
Chapter 8 – The Woods

 

Glitch was the last to be released from his position on the log, which was now resting on the ground. He sat next to it, still breathing hard and listening to his heart pound, the rushing blood in his ears and muffling his hearing. There was movement all around him: resistance fighters gathering up prisoners, Raw being recruited to help the wounded.

There was Cain, though, at his side, working on cuffs holding Glitch to the log. Cain hadn’t said a word since finding his son, not only alive but _grown up_ and in charge of this group of rebels. It had to be disconcerting, at the very least.

One arm finally free, Glitch pulled it out of the way and rolled his shoulder to work out the stiffness. There was a sharp pain in his side and he sucked in a sharp breath.

“What?” Cain’s head shot up instantly.

Glitch pressed his free hand to his side, frowning. “I’m not sure,” he muttered, perplexed. He drew his jacket to the side and winced, noticing for the first time that his white shirt was stained dark red just above his hip. “Ow.”

“Damn,” Cain breathed, reaching out but not touching. His hand shook just enough for Glitch to see. “You must have gotten hit in the crossfire and didn’t even notice. All right, you just sit tight, don’t move,” Cain instructed, quickly getting Glitch’s other hand free. “I’m going to find Raw.”

“It’s okay, he’s busy helping the people who got hurt,” Glitch grabbed Cain’s arm before he could leave. “I’m sure it’s nothing, just a scratch.”

Cain knelt and tugged at Glitch’s shirt, pulling it up out of the way to inspect the wound. It was a shallow scrape across his side, still bleeding slightly but certainly not life-threatening. He hated to admit it, but Glitch was right. It could wait.

Digging in his pockets but coming up empty, Cain growled in frustrating.

Then there was a hand next to his head and Cain looked up to see his son standing there silently, offering a neatly folded, clean-looking towel. Cain swallowed, accepting the cloth. “Thanks.”

Jeb nodded once, then sat down on the huge log next to the two men. “What’s your name?” he asked of Glitch.

Glitch leaned against the log, wincing when Cain pressed the makeshift bandage against the gouge in his side. “The name’s Glitch,” he answered with a weak grin. He let his head drop back to rest on the wood behind him, closing his eyes while he put up with Cain’s ministrations.

“Well, you’re obviously someone my father gives a damn about so I won’t ask you what you did to earn that,” Jeb waved his hand vaguely toward Glitch’s head, indicating the zipper.

“Jeb, that’s enough,” Cain snapped, tossing a glare. “He was the Queen’s personal advisor and his loyalty was enough to earn Azkadellia’s wrath. That’s all that matters.”

Sitting up straighter, Jeb looked at Glitch with a new respect in his expression. Then his face darkened again just as quickly. “I’ve got a prisoner to deal with. You gonna be all right, Mr. Glitch?”

“Yes, thank you,” Glitch replied, offering a smile. “Your dad’s gotten pretty good at taking care of me.”

The soft crunching of leaves told them of another’s approach and Glitch opened his eyes, a relieved sigh escaping when he saw that it was Raw.

Jeb stood and took a step back. “I’ll just – let Raw do his thing,” he said uneasily. “There’re a lot of things I need to see to anyway.” With that, he turned and walked away slowly.

“Glitch injured,” Raw scowled as if he had been kept out of something important. He crouched down and his hands replaced Cain’s, providing immediate reprieve from the dull ache. But he didn’t let go when the graze was healed. Looking up, he met Glitch’s eyes in surprise. Glitch shook his head slightly, shooting a look towards Cain, who was watching Jeb walk away. It was to him that Raw spoke instead. “Cain talk to son.”

Looking slightly startled, Cain glanced back and then gave a reluctant nod. “Yeah, I should.” As he climbed to his feet, he braced his hand on Glitch’s shoulder and his hand lingered for just a few seconds longer than necessary. “You’re okay?” This was to Glitch.

“I’m fine, now go catch up with your kid,” Glitch waved him off then slumped when he was alone with Raw. “Whatever it was you saw, just forget about it.”

Raw glared at him. “You love Cain.’

Glitch groaned and buried his face in his hands. “You think I haven’t figured that out?”

“Does Cain know?”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure he does,” Glitch answered softly. “Listen, the guy just spent what – ten annuals? – trapped in a tin suit, thinking his wife and son were dead. In the last few days he’s been told they _weren’t_ killed in front him like he thought. Come to find out his wife really is dead and his son can’t even look at him. I’m fairly certain that the last thing he needs is me messing up his already bad week even more.”

Settling down on the ground next to Glitch, Raw drew up his knees. Restless fingers polished the metal spikes embedded in his gloves. “Cain care about Glitch.”

“I – look, I know we’re both just confused,” Glitch said, pulling at his chains anxiously. “I haven’t had...anyone, really, show me the kind of care he has, not for a very long time. If there’s more to it than just pity and kindness to a mistreated royal advisor, then I’ll be really surprised.”

“Not pity,” Raw told him firmly, looking up from his hands. “Fondness. Growing deeper even now.”

Glitch didn’t know how to reply to that, so he simply let the pleasant words hang there, keeping him company along with Raw.

~~

Jeb hadn’t looked up when Cain fell into step with him, but Cain could tell his son registered his presence. “It’s been a long time.”

“We thought you were dead,” Jeb told him bluntly, stopping in the middle of an empty space between trees. “If we’d known – “

Cain stopped him with a hand on Jeb’s arm. “You had no way of knowing Zero had left me alive. It’s over now; we move on.” He swallowed thickly, studying the face of his child. Jeb looked just like he had when he was a boy, but his eyes were much older than his current annuals. The impulse to hold his son was overwhelming and Cain took Jeb into his arms. “It’s good to see you, son.”

There was no answering hug, nor words in return.

Pulling back, eyes stinging with tears, Cain looked at Jeb carefully. He was dismayed to see Jeb looking at him as if he were a stranger. Which, Cain hated to admit, he might as well have been after all this time. “I need to get back to my prisoner,” Jeb said coldly. With nothing more to say, he stepped away from Cain and walked away.

~~

Everyone present could see the moment Glitch realized the magnitude of Zero’s words. When Zero looked right at him and called him by name, called him _Ambrose_ , everything changed.

Finding his way to the tent Cain, Glitch and Raw had been offered for the night, Cain pulled back the flap only to stop abruptly when he saw Glitch was already inside. Glitch had tossed his jacket across the back of a chair, the only piece of furniture in the enclosure. There were no proper beds, only piles of worn blankets; the way it was all set up around them indicated that this small village was a traveling one.

Glitch had taken off his destroyed white undershirt, using the balled-up cloth to clean the remaining streaks of dried blood from his side. His back was to Cain, giving him the full view of the tattoos for the first time. The tendrils of ink that curled and tapered were striking, though Glitch’s tied-back hair covered the ones from the back of his neck to between his shoulder blades. In the dark of the tent, it was nearly impossible to tell which curls were soft hair and which were smoothly drawn in.

Unable to help himself, Cain found himself walking forward and reaching up, tracing his fingers over one of the tattoos.

Glitch jumped and turned his head. When he saw who it was, he remained silent, allowing the hesitant touch. Leaned into it, ever so slightly, his eyes half-lidded. Cain certainly wasn’t the first to touch his markings this way, but he was the first to do it with such care; with a sense of wonder, as if Glitch were valuable and wonderful.

After a few quiet, tense moments, Cain finally looked up at Glitch’s face. “I don’t know what I’m doing,” he whispered, the admission too fragile.

Taking Cain’s hand in his own, Glitch turned fully around to face him. “You’re grieving Adora,” he said openly. “You’re seeing your son for the first time since he was eight annuals old and he’s an adult now.” Glitch hated having to be the one to say it, but he knew he would never forgive himself if Cain went on like this. “Everything is wrong and I’m just a convenience. Please, Cain. Don’t be one of those men. Don’t use me.”

Cain took a sharp breath, shocked at the ugly words. “I – you still think so little of yourself, even knowing the truth about who you are?”

“What am I supposed to think?” Glitch sounded defeated. “You know how I feel; it doesn’t take Raw to figure that out. But a person doesn’t just fall in love in a few days.”

“You did.”

Glitch shrugged helplessly, no hint of denial. “Who wouldn’t? Even if you weren’t gorgeous and intelligent, you’ve done nothing but show me kindness and concern since I got thrown in with your little group. You’ve taken me in, taken care of me, given me hope. Yes, I’m thankful for that – but I also care about you, more than I probably should.”

Cain looked down at the ground, bringing his arms tight around himself. “Look, we’ve got too much to deal with right now. DG’s missing, your brain is in Azkadelllia’s hands, who knows where the dog ended up. My kid hates me and tomorrow, we’re marching to what will more than likely be our deaths. If by some chance we survive and win this thing, we’ll come back to this conversation.”

“That’s fair, except the part where you're wrong - your kid doesn't hate you,” Glitch gave a short nod and reached for a folded piece of fabric sitting on the chair. When it unfurled, Cain saw that it was a new tank top, this one a shade of dark green. “Someone was nice enough to give me a new shirt,” he explained, pulling it on over his head and covering most of his tattoos again. He pulled the ponytail out of the back and tightened the ribbon with a sharp tug. His chains still hung free. “Now, do you suppose they’ve got anything to eat around here?”

“I hope so,” Cain smiled tightly. Before they could move toward the door, though, Cain pulled Glitch to him and held him, ridiculously relieved when this one was tenderly returned.

~~


	10. Precipice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Cain, DG, and Raw had first encountered Glitch working as a bartender in the Mystic Man's club? This story is an AU that parallels the series using this scenario.

  
Chapter 9 – Precipice

 

Movement and the soft shifting of blankets woke Glitch sometime in the middle of the night. He tucked a few escaped locks of hair behind his ear and raised his head, the darkness distorting everything and confusing his mind. “Who’s there?” he whispered.

“Just me, Cain,” a low, familiar voice answered just as quietly as Cain settled back into the empty space, now cold.

Glitch smiled, scooting closer and draping an arm over the body next to him, Cain’s clothes still holding the midnight chill from outside. “Where’d you go?”

“Had to take a leak,” Cain tugged the discarded blanket back over both himself and Glitch.

“Nice,” Glitch wrinkled his nose. “So glad I asked.”

Cain rolled onto his side so he was facing Glitch. He brought up a hand to touch Glitch’s face lightly, tracing the pale skin along the side of his cheek. “Go back to sleep.”

“I’m too hyper to sleep,” Glitch sighed. “We’re really going to attack the Witch’s tower tomorrow, aren’t we?” It wasn’t really a question.

“Yeah, we are,” Cain confirmed. “We’re out of time. The eclipse is coming and it’s up to the lot of us to make sure the rightful Queen is back where she belongs by the time the suns set.” He let his hand drift down and slide along Glitch’s arm, stroking lightly.

“Are you scared?”

“Aren’t you?” Cain countered.

Glitch smiled even though he knew Cain couldn’t see it. “Not when I know you’ll be there to protect me.”

Cain swallowed hard. “Glitch, no matter what happens, you keep fighting. Don’t stop even if you’re the last one standing. Promise me you’ll do that.”

Eyes closing tight over the threat of tears, Glitch clenched his hand against Cain’s back. “I promise,” he rasped. It felt like a lie. He knew that if Cain didn’t survive the battle, neither of them would. “Do you suppose DG is okay?”

“I hope so,” Cain whispered. He pulled Glitch to him, holding onto the one thing that had kept him grounded through all of this. Glitch sighed against his throat. “Try and get some sleep.”

~~

The next time Cain woke, it was to a sharp kick to his ribs. He blinked awake reluctantly and looked over his shoulder.

Jeb glared down at him. “What did you do?”

Glancing at Glitch, who had finally fallen into a fidgety sleep, Cain carefully extracted himself from under Glitch’s arm. “Not here.”

Leaving Glitch amid the warm bedding, the two Cain men made their way out into the early morning light. They wove their way through the temporary lodgings and out into the trees until an all-too-familiar form came into view. Cain stopped, meeting Jeb’s questioning look for a moment.

“I hope that’s justice enough for you,” Cain said roughly.

Jeb looked into the convex window and was only slightly startled when Zero’s face came into view. He turned back to his father. “It’s not my first choice, but Mother would approve.”

“If you don’t have heart, you have nothing.” Cain rested his hand on Jeb’s shoulder for a brief moment before turning and walking back to the village.

~~

Glitch woke up alone and confused. Nothing around him was familiar except the jacket he had used as a pillow – even his shirt was strange and smelled of pine and horses. He picked up his crumpled coat and stood, wandering outside and taking in the urgent movements of the people around him.

Since no one stopped to tell him where he should be or what he should be doing, he drifted over and sat on a log, pulling his well-loved jacket on over his thin shoulders. One hand propping up his chin, he simply sat and stared into the distance.

A monochrome figure approached; something twitched and flickered in Glitch’s mind and he lowered his arm to fidget his hands together. Memory resolved itself and he sighed deeply. “Who am I kidding? This is all my fault. If I hadn’t thought up my machine, Azkadellia would never have been able to twist it.”

Raw considered this before nodding. “Yeah.”

Glitch shot him a glare. “Aren’t you supposed to be more...I don’t know, _sensitive_?”

A shrug. “Truth.”

“You got me there,” Glitch grimaced. “I don’t imagine you’re going to tell us if we’re going to win this thing?”

Raw’s expression darkened. “Not for Raw to see.”

“That’s okay,” Glitch assured him gently. “I have every confidence in us. You’ll see.”

They noticed an odd shuffling sound just then, growing louder and when Tutor (or rather, Toto, as he was still a dog) emerged from the thick underbrush, Glitch and Raw shot to their feet. “Toto!”

The air shifted and warped and then Tutor stood in front of them once again. “I can take you to DG. I know where she is. She needs help.”

Glitch exchanged a look with Raw. “I’ll get Cain.”

~~

Like a number of things Glitch had learned about himself in the last few days, he apparently was perfectly capable of riding a horse. He thanked nature for gifting him with strong muscle memory as he guided his borrowed horse through the woods and past cliffs, trailing after Cain’s own mount as Toto led the way.

The sight of the young Princess, alive and well, was enough to bring Glitch’s optimism back up to a whole new level. With her on their side, they stood a much better chance of beating the Sorceress.

The reins of three horses in his hands, he stood back and smiled as DG embraced first Raw, then Cain. Her face fell as she informed them that Azkadellia now possessed the emerald. Raw pointed out the nearness of the eclipse.

DG rode with Glitch back to the camp, their combined weight the best balance of the possible arrangements. She held him tight around the waist and he made a promise to himself that he would do everything in his power to ensure her safety. It was a somber vow they had all taken, he suspected.

~~

Glitch crouched at Cain’s side, eyeing the Tower with growing apprehension. “It kind of boggles the noggin to think that we’re really going in there, guns a-blazing,” he said shakily.

“Where’s Raw?” DG asked from behind him.

With a glance back to her, Glitch answered. “He’s up on the hill. I think he’s lost his nerve.” He watched her turn and head in that direction with stiff strides. Standing to follow her, he gave Cain’s arm a long, meaningful caress before following after her. When he heard Cain following behind a few moments later, he ducked his head to hide his smile.

It was DG who gave them the words all three of them needed, not just the anxious Raw. She reminded Raw of all he had accomplished in the short time they had been friends, that Raw had certainly proven his own courage to himself and to the rest of them. Glitch assured her that he was far braver than he ever was in his former life and that alone earned him a warm, loving hug. As for Cain, she reminded him that his heart had thawed and healed from its torment. He gave DG a silent, one-armed hug and when she pulled back, she made a point to throw a significant look in Glitch’s direction, then back at Cain.

Taking the hint, Glitch remained as DG led Raw back to where the resistance fighters were preparing the explosive charges.

“Ready to be reunited with your brain?” Cain managed a half-smile, but the tension in his body betrayed his unease, though he’d crossed his arms over his chest to hide it.

Glitch set aside his own fears for a moment and threaded his hands through Cain’s elbows. After some hesitation, Cain untangled his arms and wound them around Glitch, holding him silently for several long minutes. Glitch pressed his cheek against Cain’s shoulder, closing his eyes. “I have no idea what to expect.”

“Just promise me you’ll stay next to me,” Cain murmured against Glitch’s hair. After seeing Glitch do it so many times, Cain took a chance and reached up, running his fingers down the length of the chains hanging down the back of Glitch’s head. “I won’t let anything happen to you, not as long as I’m alive.”

Glitch tightened his grip. “I promise. You get me in there and I’ll do my best to take down that damn machine of mine.”

“It’s a deal.”

~~


	11. Brain Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Cain, DG, and Raw had first encountered Glitch working as a bartender in the Mystic Man's club? This story is an AU that parallels the series using this scenario.

  
Chapter 10 – Brain Room

 

Glitch picked up the thrown hat with an air of veneration, dusting it off gently then handing it back to its owner. Stepping back, he reached up and gave Cain a helping hand in climbing down from the upper decking.

Two Longcoats guarded the open doorway leading to the Brain Room’s hallway. Glitch impulsively charged forward, fixated on attack them from behind as his mind told them they were easy targets. But there on the floor in front of them, out of nowhere, was Toto, barking at the guards.

Frozen with his hand hovering above one man’s throat, Glitch could only stand by and watch as Toto became Tutor once again. Tutor took advantage of his moment of surprise and knocked out the two Longcoats. Looking past their fallen bodies, he grinned at Glitch. “Go.”

Glitch nodded and with a look over his shoulder to make sure Cain and Raw were still behind him, led the way to their goal.

The sight that greeted him was so astounding that he stumbled to a halt just inside the massive double doors. Never having expected to see his missing brain again, let alone to find it on display and effectively running the device that would destroy the world, Glitch couldn’t help but stop and stare at it as it hung suspended in the oversized vat of unidentifiable liquid.

A hysterical giggle escaped. “I’d recognized myself anywhere,” he joked absently. Shaking himself from his stupor, Glitch forced his feet to bring him to the edge of the tank. He raised trembling fingers to touch the glass; he was shocked to feel its warmth. For some reason, he had expected nothing but cold.

“Are you ready to get reacquainted with yourself, Glitch?” Cain’s voice at his side was at the same time terrifying and reassuring.

Glitch only had time to nod before Raw’s hands touched first the green glass then Glitch’s temple. There was a burst of light, a flash that sent his mind racing and tumbling into chaos. He had expected a feeling of completeness, of becoming whole again, of being able to think clearly for the first time in what seemed like forever.

Instead, he felt as if he had been pushed aside and someone completely separate from himself had taken over his body. There was nothing he could do but listen from somewhere inside himself as his own voice, low and quick and confident, tumbled from his own lips.

He heard Cain call him Glitch, could see the frustration on Cain’s face when he was corrected. There was reluctance and grief in Cain’s voice when he addressed the new speaker as Ambrose.

Numbers swirled around him and emerged from Ambrose’s mouth while Cain punched them in to the keyboard nearby.

Glitch wanted to tell them he was here, wanted so badly to let Cain know that this wasn’t him, that it wasn’t him _anymore_ , but he had no way of regaining control of his body. But he tried anyway; yelling and hoping someone would hear him. And out of the corner of his eye, Glitch could see Raw’s lips moving – but not matching the shapes of the words Ambrose was saying, but what _Glitch_ was trying to say. He knew then at least one person understood what was happening and that would have to be enough.

It was a shocking disappointment to say the least. Ever since he had learned that his brain still existed and functioned, he had some hope at getting it back. But it didn’t look as though that was a possibility anymore. They were two separate beings now, having been cut apart and set on their own paths for far too long.

Cain’s laugh caught Glitch off-guard and he wished he could turn his head to gape at the other man. That was one thing he had yet to witness. Cain had gifted him with the rare smile that sent Glitch’s heart racing, but this was the first time he had heard that breathy chuckle.

But his momentary joy was shattered by shouting and disarray. Raw’s hand was torn away abruptly and Glitch had to grab onto the edge of the tank’s pedestal to keep from falling over from the disorientation. To his left, Raw was taken down by one of the Longcoats. In the short time it took Glitch to realize he was back in control of his own body, Cain had jumped in to defend him and there was an impossibly loud gunshot.

Glitch cried out in horror as he saw Cain fall, slamming into a side door and hitting the floor unmoving.

There was an arm around his throat and the hot metal of a recently discharged gun barrel pressed to the side of his neck. Glitch couldn’t take his eyes off of Cain’s body. Then another set of hands, this time much smaller, connected him to the intruder in the glass tank. Numbers emerged from the child’s mouth but this time, the connection was not so complete. Glitch still had control over his body; it was as if the child were simply reading the information.

_Glitch, no matter what happens, you keep fighting._

Glitch knew he was surrounded, there were too many soldiers and people with weapons. If he was to survive this, to get the others out safely, he had to stall the process the only way he knew how. So he drew a deep breath and fought his own mind, shouting out numbers at random and drowning out the small voice next to him.

There was a fat, smoke-scented hand pressed to his mouth and his only method of defiance was once again cut off. He struggled against the man holding him, but he simply couldn’t match the other’s strength.

After the last of the code numbers was entered, there was nothing left to do but wait.

Glitch never heard movement to his right and was as shocked as anyone else when the razor came flying out of nowhere and stuck right into the back of the man holding the gun against Glitch’s skin.

Taking advantage of the surprise attack, Glitch ducked out from under the arm holding him and with great satisfaction, kicked the crap out of the Longcoat who had been restraining him.

Turning to find someone else to take down, Glitch was caught in the chest by a powerful electrical shock and sent to the ground, unconscious.

~~

Cain was still struggling to his feet when he heard Raw’s impressive roar. He sat up in time to see the livid Viewer tear the shockstaff from the hands of the man who had taken Glitch’s brain in the first place. Raw appeared to take great pleasure in electrocuting the vile alchemist to death.

Looking around quickly, Cain saw their captors were all on the floor and so was Glitch. For a long, horrible moment, Cain feared he had been too late and Glitch was dead.

Stumbling to his feet, Cain staggered in a pathetic hunch over to Glitch and fell uncontrolled to his knees. He pressed one hand to Glitch’s chest, overcome with relief when he felt the fast but steady heartbeat against his palm. Once again able to breathe, Cain focused on what had to be done.

“Glitch,” he called, giving Glitch a little shake. “Glitch, come on.” Left with little choice ( _the world was about to end, after all_ ), Cain drew up his hand and gave Glitch a solid slap across the cheek.

Glitch sputtered and looked up at him with a warm, welcoming expression. “Hello,” he said in that seductive voice of his; Cain knew then that Glitch thought he was back in the ‘Rotu. Then Glitch reached up and touched his cheek, glaring at Cain in annoyance. “Do I know you?”

Cain sighed in relief and grinned at the change. “Good morning, sweetheart,” he said earnestly.

“Cain!” Synapses fired in the right direction again and Glitch took hold of Cain’s proffered hand readily. He couldn’t think of a more welcome sight at that moment than waking up to Cain.

“Come on, we’ve got to shut it down,” Cain told him, helping him to his feet.

Raw let go of the young Viewer child and returned to his place at Glitch’s side, reestablishing the connection with the brain.

Fully expecting to be pushed aside again, Glitch was stunned to find himself still controlling his body. He opened his eyes again when he heard Cain asking him for the last code number.

“I can’t – I can’t think,” Glitch faltered, bringing one hand up to touch his lips. As if he expected them to be moving on their own accord once again.

“We don’t have time for this,” Cain stepped back and Glitch turned only to see Cain drawing his weapon. “I know what to do.”

Glitch watched in horror as Cain held up his gun, pointing it at the brain floating in the tank. It may not be a part of him any longer, but that was _Ambrose_ in there, a living person. But Glitch knew that Cain had no way of knowing that. “Wait – no, just – “ Glitch closed his eyes and thought, searching for those elusive numbers in his own remaining brain matter.

Finally, _finally_ , he found it and threw his head back, shouting the answer with profound relief. “1208! The Queen’s birthday, of course!” Cain released the breath he had been holding and dropped his arm. Glitch could see how much that threat had cost him, but he settled for pointing to the keyboard and giving the order. “Commence the reverse pulsing!”

Cain did so, with great satisfaction.

~~

The three of them made their clumsy way down the hall and halfway around the curve of the tower to Azkadellia’s main chambers, led there by Raw. As they walked, Raw pressed his hand to the wound on Cain’s shoulder and took away the dull ache easily, once again healing damaged flesh with great skill.

Pushing the door open, Cain gave Raw a grateful look. They entered quietly but were not quite stealthy enough to avoid DG catching them.

DG ran over and embraced each of them, laughing breathlessly when Raw picked her up mid-hug. Cain gave her his one-armed hug again, trying to avoid getting blood on the Princess.

They all watched the eclipse, dreading that it would never end. And when it did, everyone breathed freely. The royal family turned away from the balcony and came back into the room after ensuring that their kingdom was safe.

And when Cain saw who it was standing next to Azkadellia, the tall blonde man from the ‘Rotu, everything fell into place with a nearly audible click. “ _You’re_ Ahamo,” he gaped. “You lied to us. You’re DG’s father.”

Ahamo smiled secretively. “I’m sorry for the deception. I had to make sure DG completed her objective. We couldn’t risk losing her to the Longcoats, not before she could get to the emerald.”

Glitch squinted at Ahamo. “All those annuals ago, you’re the one who bought my freedom and took me to the Mystic Man. Why?”

“Ambrose,” Ahamo stepped closer as he spoke. “You have to realize by now how very essential you are to the security of the O.Z. When I found you there, I was appalled at what had happened you. I had to get you out of there and put you somewhere safe where I knew where you were. The Mystic Man knew you, too, of course. He knew when DG arrived that it was time to send you on your way, to help her and to help us all.”

“I’m not Ambrose,” Glitch said firmly, drawing shocked looks from everyone but Raw. “Ambrose is still in that aquarium down the hall. The name’s Glitch.”

Ahamo gave a sad chuckle. “I don’t suppose you remember that it was me who gave you that name, do you?”

“Did you?” Glitch blinked. “Imagine that.”

“Listen – we’ve still got to shut down that machine for good,” Ahamo straightened, still addressing Glitch. “You’re the only one who holds the key to doing that.”

Glitch took a step back, flustered, stepping behind Cain. “I don’t know how,” he said uncertainly. “And the last time Raw tried to...to attach me to that _thing_ that used to be my brain, it didn’t work. I can’t go through that again.”

“You don’t have to,” Ahamo told him gently. “May I?” He held out a hand toward Glitch.

Cain glared at Ahamo. “What do you want from him?”

But Glitch had already come forward, curiosity outweighing his fear. He flinched slightly when Ahamo reached up and very lightly touched Glitch’s chains, drawing one of them around for Glitch to see. Ahamo was holding one of the flat disks between his fingers. “Don’t you know what these are?”

“They’re pretty,” Glitch shrugged and grinned irreverently.

“Azkadellia?” Ahamo suddenly turned toward his daughter.

Azkadellia took a couple of hesitant steps forward and Glitch couldn’t help but flinch slightly in her presence. She ignored him in favor of studying the thing Ahamo was holding. “It’s a video disk,” she answered, her tone soft and puzzled.

~~


	12. The O.Z.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Cain, DG, and Raw had first encountered Glitch working as a bartender in the Mystic Man's club? This story is an AU that parallels the series using this scenario.

 

  
Chapter 11 – The O.Z.

 

Glitch reached up and reclaimed his chain, fingering the disk as he looked back and forth between Ahamo and Azkadellia. “What?”

“They’re video recordings,” Azkadellia explained. “The viewer I use to play them back, it was yours, Advisor. It’s the only one of its kind. Those – you must have made them before...” She paled, looking ill.

Ahamo wrapped an arm around her shoulders comfortingly. “When I first found you in that... _place_ , it was those disks that caught my attention. I knew I’d only seen them in one place before, with Ambrose. Then I recognized you and...well, you know the rest. Before...everything, but after Azkadellia was taken by the Witch, Ambrose – you – began making preparations for the future. You spent so much time in your lab, recording everything you could onto those disks.”

“Including the blueprints for the sun seeder,” Cain spoke up perceptively. “That’s what you meant when you said he held the key. One of those recordings has the plans that will let us shut off the machine.”

“Yes,” Ahamo nodded fervently. “But I have no idea how to tell them apart.”

It was Raw who stepped forward. “Glitch?”

Glitch turned to look at him questioningly. “Can you – maybe touch them? Figure out which one it is?” Raw nodded. “All right, then. Have at it.”

Raw began searching through the disks, touching each one with a look of concentration. A few caused him to shudder, clearly seeing something that upset him but he pressed on until he found what he was looking for. Opening his eyes, he looked at Glitch. “Dark day.”

Shivering at the bleak tone, Glitch crossed his arms over his chest. “Go ahead. You just need to twist the jump ring to bend it. Oh! I – I didn’t know what these were when I made holes in them. Do you think I damaged the recordings?”

It was Azkadellia who shook her head. “All of the data is stored in the center of the disk. The outer edge is empty, just colored glass.”

“Oh, okay,” Glitch stood still while Raw removed the flat medallion from the chain it was attached to. When it was free, Raw handed it to Glitch, who slid the small metal ring out of the hole and jammed it into his pocket. “Well – here,” he handed it to Ahamo and turned to Azkadellia. “I’m sure you can get some of your engineers to take care of this.”

Azkadellia hesitated, looking at Glitch sadly. “I – yes,” she finally said. “Would you like to oversee their work?”

Glitch chuckled miserably and shook his head. “Honey, I wouldn’t know one end of the thing from the other. That’s for Ambrose to deal with.”

“Come on,” Ahamo took Azkadellia’s arm gently. “We’ll go down and get a start on this.”

When they’d left, Glitch found the Queen looking at him oddly. “You are so certain that you are no longer the Ambrose we once knew.”

“Yes, I am,” Glitch replied firmly. He threw a glance toward Raw. “When Raw tried to connect me to the brain...it didn’t really work.”

Cain wrapped his hand around Glitch’s arm, turning him so they faced each other. “What are you talking about? You were answering my questions!”

“ _Ambrose_ was feeding you the numbers,” Glitch corrected. “I was there, I could hear and see everything but I wasn’t in control. We’re two separate people, now.”

“Glitch,” Cain whispered, anguished. “I had no idea.”

“I couldn’t say anything,” Glitch shrugged helplessly. “You had no way of knowing. It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not okay,” Cain’s voice broke and he pulled Glitch against him, needing so badly to hold him at that moment.

DG, who had listened silently throughout everything, spoke up. “What does that mean for you, Glitch?"

“You’ll still have Ambrose, Majesty,” Glitch told the Queen. “It’s clear that Azkadellia and her scientists have been able to communicate with him. You don’t need me to bridge the connection.”

“Is that all you think you’re valued for, my dear?” the Queen asked in a devastated voice. “You’ve given up so much for this kingdom. I cannot begin to imagine how to repay your sacrifices. Please, do not think for one moment that you are not welcome with us. You are family.”

Glitch ducked his head, the hand he had curled around Cain’s waist tightening. “Thank you,” he whispered. “I just...I need some time to think. If you don’t mind.”

“Of course,” the Queen reached up and gave his cheek an ephemeral caress. “Come, DG. We must arrange for rooms for us all until our home in the city can be reopened.” The mother and daughter took their leave.

Raw stepped up in front of Glitch, touching his shoulder lightly. “Sorry.”

“Oh, Raw,” Glitch untangled himself from Cain long enough to give Raw a tight embrace. “It wasn’t your fault, any more than it was anyone else’s. I could tell you knew I was in there but we had to get those numbers. Ambrose was the only one who could do it.”

“Okay?”

“Yes, I’m okay,” Glitch assured him. “Thank you, for everything.”

Raw blushed modestly. He could also sense that Glitch and Cain needed to be alone. With a quick nod, he turned and left, intending to help Azkadellia with a great number of problems he had picked up on. There was a lot of work for him to do in helping this family rebuild.

Finally left to themselves, Cain and Glitch stood looking at one another awkwardly. It was Glitch who broke the tension, lifting a hand up to cup Cain’s cheek. “We did it.”

“We did,” Cain said with a smile. “DG had a good question. What are you going to do now?”

Glitch held Cain’s gaze for the length of a breath and then leaned in, just barely brushing his lips against Cain’s. He could feel his whole body trembling and knew Cain could feel it, too.

Cain took pity on him and drew him close, arms going around Glitch’s shoulders and returning the apprehensive kiss with poised enthusiasm. He knew Glitch was still unsure of his welcome and Cain wanted to make sure Glitch grasped where he stood with Cain.

Long, thin arms slid around Cain’s waist and Glitch held on with everything he had. He closed his eyes and gave himself over to the privilege of being loved.

Finally, Glitch broke the kiss, but leaned in for a last, lingering trace of contact between their lips. “Does that answer the question?”

“Not really,” Cain grinned and stole another kiss. “You might need to explain it in better detail.”

Glitch snickered. “It will be my pleasure.” He sighed, resting his forehead against Cain’s shoulder. “I wish I could just run away with you and see the O.Z. You know, until I joined you guys I’d never seen much of it outside the ‘Rotu and Central?”

“Who says you can’t?” Cain asked, running his hands over Glitch’s back, his thumbs brushing against long curled hair on every upstroke.

“There’s too much left for me to do here,” Glitch moaned, all of a sudden incredibly exhausted. He dragged Cain down to sit on the floor with him, setting down between Cain’s legs, leaning against his chest and pressing his cheek against the exposed skin above Cain’s buttoned shirt. Reaching up to capture his chains again, he played with them absently. “I need to take the rest of these disks off and see what’s on them. Work with the Queen to reassign all of my previous work to new people. Help her choose a new Advisor.”

Cain kept his arms wrapped around Glitch, resting his chin on top of the zipper. “Then that’s what we’ll do. We’ll get every loose end squared away before we go.”

“We?” Glitch raised his head up hopefully.

Taking advantage, Cain kissed him deeply, sealing his promise. “You’re stuck with me now, sweetheart.”

~~

End.


End file.
